270 [May, 



NOTES ON THE LEPIDOPTERA OP IRELAND. 

 BT EDWIN BIECHALL. 



Owing to the almost entire absence of local collectors, onr know- 

 ledge of the Lepidoptera of Ireland is still in a very nnsatisfaetory 

 state ; and even of the native Butterflies it can hardly be doubted the 

 record is very imperfect. The following twenty-four British species 

 have not been noticed in Ireland : — P. Machaon, P. Daplidice, A. 

 Adippe, A. EupTirosyne, A. Selene, M. Cinxia, V. C-alhum, F. Antiojm, 

 L. Syhilla, A. Iris, M. Galatliea, E. Blandina, TTi. W-alhum, Th. pnini, 

 P. dispar, L. Adonis, L. Corydon, L. Acis, L. Arion, N Lueina, S. 

 alveolus, St. Paniscus, II. comma, and II. Actceon, 



Thei'e seems no reason why all (except perhaps P. Machaon, P. 

 dispar, and A. Iris), should not be found. If Entomologists who may 

 visit Ireland during the coming summer will only make notes of the 

 Butterflies observed, I am convinced we shall not have long to wonder 

 at the absence of such generally distributed species as A. JEuplirosyne 

 and Selene. I believe it is the observers, and not the insects, which are 

 the absentees, especially as there are about a dozen Irish counties, com- 

 prising almost the whole of Ulster, into which even the wandering 

 Lepidopterist has scarcely penetrated ; so that theories based on the 

 presumed absence of certain species must, in the present state of our 

 knowledge, be received with great reservation. As an illustration of 

 this, I may mention that Gonepteryx rhamni had not been noticed until 

 last year since its discovery at Killarney by Mr. Andrews in 1839, and 

 the fact of its existence in Ireland had come to be doubted ; that so 

 conspicuous an insect could escape observation for a quarter of a cen- 

 tury is proof of the very fragmentary nature of our knowledge of the 

 Lepidopfera of Ireland. 



Still some little progress has been made ; and since the publication 

 of Messrs. Boyd & More's Essay on the Geographical distribution of 

 Butterflies in Great Biitain and Ireland (Zoologist, April, 1858), the 

 following species have been observed in Ireland : — 



Argymiis Lathonia at Killarney, Augvist 10th, 1864, in the lane leading 

 from Muckross Village towards Mungerton Mountain. 



Melitwa Athalia I found in plenty at Killai'ney in 1862. 



Vanessa poly chloros. I saw a specimen near Gal way in 1861, but was 

 unable to secure it. 



Lyccena Agestis. Wicklow ; also Mourne Mountains, near Ross Treyor. 



